10 Great Ways to Spend Your REI Dividend

It’s dividend time at REI this week! That means, if you’re an REI member, you’ve just received 10% of your annual purchases back, which is always rad. And if you have a backpacking gear addiction like I do (I’m working on it!), your dividend can actually add up to a good chunk of change.

In addition, REI often pairs their dividends with excellent coupons. Starting this Friday (March 18th - April 4th), you’ll be able to get 20% off one full-price item at REI. That can lead to huge savings when you’re purchasing big-ticket equipment like a tent, backpack, sleeping bag or stove. I put together this quick post to highlight a few of my favorite high-end REI products. You’ll only get to use the 20% off coupon on one item, so you'll probably want to make it count.

Oh yeah, if you’re not an REI member, don’t fret! You can pick up a lifetime membership for $20 and still get to use the 20% off coupon (learn how here). So, your lifetime membership will pretty much pay for itself with one big purchase.

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10 GREAT WAYS TO SPEND YOUR REI DIVIDEND

In my opinion, the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 provides the best balance between weight, convenience, interior space, and functionality of any backpacking tent on the market. It’s light enough to disappear in your pack, but roomy enough to wait out a prolonged storm without going stir crazy. Check out my Best Tents Guide for more info.

The REI Quarter Dome 1 and Quarter Dome 2 are excellent ultralight tents that maximize convenience and interior space at an affordable price. Their features are on par with the very best ultralight backpacking tents on the market, they just come at a fraction of the cost. Check out my Best Tents Guide for more info.

The Osprey Exos 58 is a cushy ultralight pack that comes at an affordable price. It has a stout aluminum frame combined with a tension-mesh back panel that provides excellent back ventilation. The Exos 48 is the same pack with a smaller volume. Check out my Best Backpacks Guide for more info.

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite is a complete game-changer when it comes to trail sleep. It's a cushy 2.5 inches thick, ridiculously light, and with an R-value of 3.2, it’ll keep your body toasty warm, even on frigid nights. If you’re looking for one of the lightest, warmest, and coziest sleeping pads on the market, look no farther. This pad is the jam. Check out my Best Sleeping Pads Guide for more info.

In my opinion, speed valve technology is the future of backpacking pads. The NeoAir XLite SV has a large port that drastically cuts down on inflation and deflation time. Lots of backpackers hate blowing up air pads. If that's you, this the XLite SV is your guy. This pad has the same R-value (3.2) and thickness (2.5in) as the XLite with a 4oz increase in total weight. Check out my Best Sleeping Pads Guide for more info.

The Jetboil MiniMo is a complete cooking system that’s just about as convenient and efficient as backcountry stoves get. It’s loaded with useful features including a sturdy handle, push-button igniter, excellent simmer control, and a stout shape that makes eating out of it easier. Throw in the Jetboil Grande Coffee Press for making baller backcountry java. Check out my Best Stoves Guide for more info.

If you’re looking for a lightweight down mummy bag at an affordable price, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option than the REI Igneo. It’s not the lightest, warmest, or most compressible sleeping bag on the market, but it does come surprisingly close. Check out my Best Sleeping Bags Guide for more info.

The Patagonia Ultralight Down Hoody is my go-to jacket for almost every 3-season backpacking trip I take. It’s warm, light, stylish, comfortable and has a great fit. I highly recommend it if you’re in the market for a new down jacket. Check out my Best Jackets Guide for more info.

The spacious and durable Eagles Nest Outfitters DoubleNest is an excellent hammock for outdoor lovers. It's wide enough and tough enough to fit two people and it comes in a range of cool colors. It's heavier than the hammocks I prefer to backpack with, but it’s perfect for camping, hiking, and trips to the park. Check out my Best Backpacking Hammocks Guide for more info.

I’ve logged over 1,000 trail miles (and counting) on my Saucony Peregrine 5 shoes. Saucony recently released the Peregrine 6 model, and I can’t wait to get my hands on them. I’ve beaten the crap out of my current Peregrines, and they’re somehow still holding up. They have comfortable padding, fantastic traction, and a soft sole. Check out my blog post 5 Reasons to Ditch Your Hiking Boots to learn more.

HONORABLE MENTION

Keeping this list down to ten items was surprisingly tough. Here's some excellent gear that would also make a great 20% off buy. These guys just narrowly missed the cut.

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GEAR GUIDE 2018

Packing a top-notch tent is one of the best ways to increase comfort, safety, and enjoyment on backcountry trips. So when you're in the market for a new shelter, pick up one of the Best Backpacking Tents of 2018.

Staying hydrated and avoiding parasites in the backcountry is critical. We explain the key differences of each water treatment method and share our personal favorites in our list of the Best Water Filters of 2018.

Trekking poles can add a lot of stability and comfort to your hike. We tested dozens of trekking poles to narrow the list down in terms of durability, comfort, weight and value to determine this year's Best Trekking Poles.

We put together this list to showcase some solid budget tents that strike a good balance between cost, weight, weather protection, and durability. If you’re on a tight budget or new to backpacking, check out our Best Budget Tents of the year.

Outdoor adventure gifts are the best kind around. The gift ideas listed in the CleverHiker Gift Guide are can’t miss recommendations for anyone that enjoys backpacking, hiking, and camping. So give a gift that gets someone outdoors this year. Give the gift of adventure!

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The Pacific Northwest is an adventure junkie’s paradise. It’s a breathtakingly diverse playground of craggy granite peaks, high alpine lakes, meadows socked with wildflowers, rugged windswept coastline, and more shades of green than your eyeballs can handle.

If you’ve spent any time in the woods, you’ve probably made some epic backcountry blunders. I certainly have. In fact, the only reason I’m able to give any “clever” hiking advice is because of all the laughably bad mistakes I’ve made over the years. At one point or another I’ve fallen victim to every one of the blunders listed below (and then some!).

Completing a thru-hike will be one of the most profoundly rewarding achievements of your life. You’ll spend months communing with nature, build jaw-dropping endurance, and develop lasting friendships along the way. Mustering up the courage to set out on your first thru-hike just might be the best decisions you ever make.

For many of us, it’s been drilled into our heads since day one that backpackers wear boots. That’s just what you do. You need the toughness and the ankle support and the water protection, right? That’s why it blew my mind a few years back when I learned that thru-hikers cover thousands of trail miles every year in running shoes. Now, after many years and many miles, I feel very confident saying: Ditch the boots and don't look back.

A lightweight down coat should be at the center of any good backpacking list. You’ll wear it just about every night on the trail. It’ll keep you toasty warm, even after spending hours jammed into the bottom of your pack. So, considering how essential your down coat is and how often you use it, let me ask you this; when was the last time you washed it?

One of my favorite shots from this weekend’s backpacking trip in Death Valley. A natural yin and yang balance between light and size and ruggedness and beauty. Marble Canyon was really spectacular.
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Also, we just posted a full guide to this awesome 26-mile loop on our blog, and winter’s the perfect time to take it on.
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#deathvalley #marblecanyon #cottonwoodmarblecanyonloop #cleverhiker

Went on an incredible backpacking trip in Death Valley this past weekend with some of my closest friends. It’s always good to spend time in nature with people you care about.
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#deathvalley #cottonwoodmarblecanyonloop #cleverhiker

Just finished up day 4 on our JMT thru-hike!! The weather has been lovely, our packs are feeling good, and we’re very excited for what lies ahead. At the moment we’re chillin at Red’s Meadow on mile 60 of the trail. Eating some good food and enjoying a cold brewski. About 160 miles left in our journey, which we’re expecting will take about 12-13 more days. Hope all is well in your world!! .
#jmt2018 #johnmuirtrail

Lovely hike up to Wheeler Peak today, highest point in NM. 🤗

Had a stellar day yesterday. Got some solid work done in the morning, ate some delicious grub in Bozeman, and headed out to the mountains to camp. Any day with alpine lakes is a win in my books. 👌

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Annapurna Range - Nepal

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn." - John Muir

Half Dome - Yosemite NP

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